More than 250 people from throughout the Miss-Lou participated in the third annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk. The fundraising walk supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by helping to support local and national suicide prevention and awareness programs. Many people have not been aware of this event in our community, but it began in our area in 2008.

Suicide is a national health problem, but in addition suicide is plagued by silence and stigma that continue to be barriers for seeking help. This year’s walk helped bring suicide out of the darkness in our area and raised approximately $6,600 which will be used to fund national research and local prevention programs.

The third annual Miss-Lou community walk was at the Vidalia Amphitheater and Riverfront and went from 9 a.m. to approximately noon.

One thing that I would like to point out is that this event is never focused on one particular group or family. There are many families and circles of friends that are represented and the event is meant to bring the community together so that people can help each other cope and get through hard times. We want all to feel welcome and none to feel excluded.

The following are a list of the teams that were a part of this year’s event followed by the name of the person they were walking in memory of that was lost to suicide. “Todd’s Troop” walked in memory of Todd Lipscomb; “Team Peacock” walked in memory of Storm Cangemi; “Team Sessions” walked in memory of Ben Sessions; “Team Trampas” walked in memory of Trampas Richardson; “Dimes From Heaven” walked in memory of Justin Wayne Sterling.

Other teams also there were “Matt’s Team,” “Don’s Dynamic Duo,” “Bubba’s Clan,” “Sonya’s Soldiers,” “Co-Lin Respiratory” and “Team Ed.”  If I have missed anyone, I apologize. I didn’t have all the names of the people each team was representing and I apologize for that, also.

But I did at least want each team mentioned so that our community would see how much suicide has affected our community. It is everywhere and we all need each other.

I would like to thank all of our sponsors and volunteers for their tremendous help with this event, along with thanking all the participants.

We look forward to an even bigger event next year as we have the fourth annual Miss-Lou Out of the Darkness Community Walk for Suicide Prevention!

Plans are already under way for next year’s event with a tentative date at this point of Nov. 12.

Erin Sessions Frith

Coordinator for the Miss-Lou Out of the Darkness

Community Walk

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention